Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1548~
"Improvement in junction
. links for vehicle tracks"
SPECIFICATION
.
This invention relates to a junction device for chains, catenaries
for tracked vehicles of the tractor ty~e q~d similar art.iculoted devi-
ces; the invention.is particularly useful for tracked vehicles such as
track-laying tract~-rs, but it will be understood that although the
folLowing specificqtion is referred to this type oF use, it shall be
evident the applicability of the inve~tion to;other similar uses.
An endless track fol tractors is usually -formed bY Cl plurality of
shoes, fixed by bolts to links which in turn are mutually and rotatably
connected by means of pins and bu~hings.
Traditionallyj is provided a coupling pin or a juncti.on link in
each endless track. This piece, which is Fi.rmly fixed in position durin~
the operating conditionl allows the removal of the tràck from the vehicle.
As a general rule (for rémovina the endless track particulnrly
during the work on ~.ield) a junction link formed by several parts is
more practical and easy to handle thqn the coupling pin, partic~lnrly
in respect of heavy duty machines. For this reason, t has been developed
the use sf junctio.. links formed by two or more parts, which are connected
one cnother by lag screws which fasten also the slloe, and are joined by
~ultipl.e coupling profiles located on ~ more or less wide zone of the
sepnration .ine of s-iid:parts, or by means oF connection pins forced in
p~
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the two parts parcllely t~the axis of said locking screws.
Object of the invention, is that of overcoming some negativs features
of the systems now in use, such as the difficulty of obtaining an homo-
geneous distribution o~ the tensile stress of the catenary on the several
elements of a multiple coupling profile, the high precision required
in the manufacture of said item, the transfer of a great percentage of
the chain traction on thr~ locking screws, which are already pre-loaded,
or the need of a high-precision mechanical joints for the connection bv
forced pins, a low stiffness in the longitudinal plane of the link and
in gene al, a very poor prccticalness of use, and a limited capacity of
tolerating a great number of mounting and removing maneuvers, due to the
wear of the pin seats, as the case may be.
Another object of che invention~ is that of eliminating the ne ~ of
a special shoe in the junction of the track.
According to the invention it is prov;ded a junction device compri-
sing two link parts (or half linlcs)each having at ^ne end the seat for`
forced mounting of the pin or the bushing, and along the remaining
length a mating surface which is shaped according to a single coupling
profile for the engagement of the two parts. Th mating line comprises
two lateral lengths, oblique in respect of the pin-and-bushing axis of
the link, whicl constitute the rest of one half-link on the other, and
a central length which form the mutual engagement by means of a shaped
zone, which in operating conditions is preloaded by said locking
screws.
The section planes along the mating line are located, in a first
approximation in a position parallel to the pins ard bushings.
The invention wili be now described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, which show by way of example a preferred embodiment of the
invention itself.
In the drawin~s:
- Fig. 1 is an elevation view of th~ juncticn link (right) complete, in
~15
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two parts, connected with a shoe by suitable screws.
- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the half-link(right) on the side ot bushing
(as seen from the shoe),
~ Fig. 3 is a plan view of the half-link (right) on the side of the
pin (as seen from the mating line).
Referring now to figure 1, the junction link accoxding to the
present invention comprises two superimposed haif-linksll and 12 which
mate and are engaged along the junction line 13.
A pair of locking screws l4, (ot the long stem type)by meuns of two
holes 20, connects the shoe 15 and the half-link 12 on the side of
bushing with the half-link ll on the side of the pin, on which are made,
aligned with ~aid holes, two threaded blind holes 21 on which said
screws are screwed.
As it is usual in other similar constructions, one of the half-links,
such as that on the side ot bushin~ 12, has a seat 16 for coupling with
a bushing (not shown) while the other half-link such qs that shown by the
reference numeral 11, has a seat 17 f,vr coupling with a pin (not shown in
the figure); these bushings qnd pins may be mounted and locked in their
position by means of covplings clamped in their resptctive seats or by
a sim;lur locking device.
- Moreover, the above half-links have the sides 18 and 19, opposed to
the mating line, shaped and machined so as to form, when the link is
assembled, two paral~el and flat surfaces.
Side 18 of the haL~-.link il constitutes the rolling surface (on rolls
and track stretching w~eels) for the assembled junct:on link, while the
side 1~ of half-link 1~ forms the mounting surface for the shoe 15 for
the assembled j~lnctior) link, which is obtained by means of screws 14, as
said above.
Referring now to figure 2, the half~ k 12 on the side of
bushingt beyond the end zone which com~rises the seat 16 of the bushing
and the area needed for -the articulation of the adjacent link, shows
a gr~at increase in the transverse dimension, with q proportional
increase in the mass.
In the same way, referring now to figure 3, also the half-link 11
on the side of ~in, beyond the end zone which comprises the seat 17
for the pin and -the area necessary for the articulation of the adjacent
normal link , shows a similar strong increase in the transverse
dimension, with a proportional increase in the rnass.
This mass increase, which concerns all the central zone of the
assembled junction link, has the purpose of obtainin~ in the same time
several results, such as a broader distribution inside the link body
of the very high stresses due to -thettraction forces of the catenary,
a rest base as lar~sr as possible of a half-link on the other one
al.ong the rectilinear lengths of the ma-tin~ line 13, in order to reduce'
the stress in the material, due to the part of the vehicle weight
supported by the link, and the traction exerted by the screws 1~,
Said increase in tne transverse thicknPss allows also a greater
stiffness oF the coupling betweenthe half-l~nks along a longitudinal
plane of the assembled ].ink, and a reduction in the specific pressure
on the mutual contact surface in thejoining zone of the two parts, in the
center of mating line 13.
Reverting now to figure 1, it will be observed that the end len~ths
of mat;ng line 13 change their position so as to cross the external
sides 18 and 19 of the assembled junction link in o direction nearly
perpendicularO This has been foreseen in order to increase the sturdiness
of the corner zones formed by the intersection of the ~nc~ion line 13
with external sides 18 ond 19 so as to reduce the risk of chipping due
to brittleness of same. Moreover, this allows a little increase oF
matexial in the external side of the forced coupling-zone with pin and
bushing.
8~7
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Finally,the covpling line 13 corresponds ta a symmetrical profile
~invsrted in respect of the two hnlf-links) wh;ch can be obtained by a
single machining on both the half-links approached one another, after
having upturned and reversed one of them~
The invention has been described in respect of a preferred embo-
diment, but it will be understood that mclny modifications can be made
by those skllled in the art, without departing from the scope of the
invention itself.
